Clan of the Dragon
by KATTALNUVA
Summary: 13 years after the end of the Clone Wars, Darth Vader is sent to hunt down a group of Jedi that survived order 66 known as the Clan of the Dragon, led by one of his long time rivals from the Jedi Order.
1. Knightfall

**A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…**

**STAR**

**WARS**

**CLAN OF THE DRAGON**

**The War Is over! On the planet Utapau Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi has destroyed General Grievous, Supreme Commander of the Separatist Droid Army, leaving the CIS leaderless**

**Meanwhile on Coruscant the Jedi have discovered that Supreme Chancellor Palpatine is the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious. After a failed attempt by Jedi Master Mace Windu to arrest the Chancellor, Palpatine has dispatched the elite legion of Clone Troopers known as the 501st under the command of the newly anointed Darth Vader to send the unsuspecting Jedi to their doom.**

**Among the Jedi is Chad Kantor, also known as the Dragon, long considered to be one of Anakin Skywalker's archrivals in the Jedi Order.**

Darth Vader marched through the Jedi Temple cutting down everyone in his path. This place had been his home for years and he had fought alongside many of these people during that time. But none of that mattered now, Palpatine's orders were clear.

"Every single Jedi, including your friend Obi-Wan Kenobi, is now an enemy of the Republic. Do what must be done Lord Vader, do not hesitate, show no mercy. Only then will you be strong enough with the dark side to save Padmé."

Nothing else mattered to him except Padmé. If saving her meant he had to betray the Jedi then so be it.

"Lord Vader!" exclaimed one of the troopers "There are two Jedi downstairs keeping our men from advancing!"

"Yes… I sense… Yrrej Iksrege… and… Chad Kantor… I'll deal with them."

Yrrej Iksrege was a Jedi Master and accomplished swordsman, and Jedi Knight Chad Kantor had been his favorite student and was about the same age as Vader. Kantor's mastery of lightsaber combat form V had earned him the nickname "The Dragon". Many had considered him to be Anakin Skywalker's greatest rival and the two of them had sparred many times over the years, their duel's usually ended in a stalemate.

"Not this time." thought Vader.

As Vader came to the bottom of the staircase the elderly Yrrej Iksrege came charging at him wielding his green lightsaber.

"I'll cut you in half traitor!"

Vader pointed his lightsaber down towards the ground at an angle. When Yrrej got too close Vader cut him in half with a lightening fast underhanded sweep.

"NO!" cried Kantor.

"Your Master is no more." said Vader.

"… I'll never forgive you Skywalker!"

"Do I look like I want your forgiveness Jedi? There is only one thing I want from you."

Kantor and Vader's blue lightsaber blades started to clash. They had sparred with each other many times before and could almost predict each others moves. Sparks flew from their lightsabers as Vader would slash at Kantor who would then attempt to counter before Vader blocked it following up with counterattack of his own. Kantor like Vader had served as a general during the war, but unlike Vader Kantor had made it through the war in one piece. So Vader decided to fix that. He jumped into the air and with one swift strike he scored a minute wound on Kantor's face, much the same as Asajj Ventress had done to him during the war. With his free hand Kantor covered his wound and shrieked in pain as Vader landed a few feet behind him.

"Shiim… A minute wound…" said Kantor "You do realize that is a sign of desperation."

"You forget, when used by a skilled swordsman it is seen as a taunt by a superior duelist."

Kantor ignored the small wound on his eye and continued to battle with Vader. At one point their blades became locked.

"Give it up." said Vader "You are no match for my skills!"

Kantor laughed.

"While you've been busy playing with droids and machines all your life I've been honing my skills with my lightsaber and growing closer with the living force, so that when I meet an agent of the dark side… I can kill it!"

Using the force Kantor blasted Vader back into a wall. He was about to charge at him when suddenly…

"Run Chad run!"

Chad looked back down at his master's hacked body. He could've sworn he just heard him speak. He didn't have time to think about it, Vader started to stir. Chad seized his opportunity and ran.

Chad Kantor's white Jedi robes were a blur as he raced through the corridors of the Temple deflecting blaster fire from Clone Troopers as he went.

"My master is dead."

Chad's master had been like the father he never knew. He taught him everything he knew about lightsaber combat and the force. Before Vader killed him he told Chad he should escape because he had a wife to take care of. Chad had never told his master that on one of his missions during the war that he had fallen in love with a woman he had rescued and married her. Such an attachment was against the Jedi code. It was Chad's most guarded secret yet somehow his master had known all along. When asked him why he never told the council his master replied, "To be perfectly honest I thought you two were a perfect match."

Chad had to escape; he had to get to Kamilla to make sure she was safe. He came to a storage room and stopped to catch his breath. Suddenly he sensed something behind him and reignited his lightsaber, he turned around ready to cut whatever it was in half.

"… Younglings?"

There were four younglings in the room with Chad. One of them was a female Togruta, one of them was a male Iridonian Zabrak, one was a blue skinned female Twi'lek, and one was a male Nautolan. None of them looked older then five years old.

"Are you the dragon?" asked one of them.

Chad lowered his weapon.

"I am."

Suddenly a group of clone troopers came charging into the room.

"Kill the Jedi!"

The younglings watched in amazement as Chad used his lightsaber to either deflect the troopers' blaster bolts back at them or cut them in half until the last of them had fallen. Chad turned to the younglings. He couldn't leave them to fend for themselves, they wouldn't stand a chance.

"Come with me." he said "More will be on the way."

The hallways were filled with clone troopers, so Chad and the younglings climbed into a ventilation shaft and made their way to the hanger where hopefully they could find a speeder or something and escape.

"Master Kantor, what's going on?" asked the Togruta "I thought the clones were our allies."

"I don't know." said Chad "But right now we need to worry about getting out of here with our heads still attached."

The came to the vent right above the hangar. Down below they could see dozens of troopers.

"There are too many of them." said the Twi'lek "What are we going to do?"

Chad knew that jumping down and trying to attack that many clone troopers was potentially suicidal. But over the years he had learned that sometimes there are alternatives to fighting.

"I'm going to try something." he said to the younglings "Pray the force is with me."

He reached out with the force for the sergeant in charge of this particular squad of troopers.

"Our job is done here." whispered Chad.

"Our job is done here!" barked the sergeant.

"We're needed on the upper levels."

"We're needed on the upper levels!"

"Everybody out."

"Everybody out!"

Within moments all the clone troopers had left the hangar.

"How did you do that?" asked one of the younglings.

"The force can have a strong influence on the weak minded." said Chad "Now let's go."

Chad and the four younglings jumped down into the hanger, hopped into an air speeder, and flew out into the city. They were instantly spotted by several troopers who fired at them with laser turrets, but Chad easily dodged them.

"They're following us!" said the Nautolan.

Two ARC-170 starfighters came up behind them and started to fire. Unfortunately the speeder Chad was flying didn't have any weapons on it.

"In that case I'll just have to improvise." he thought.

Chad ignited his lightsaber and threw it back at the ARC-170s. Using the force he sent it slashing through the wing of one of the fighters sending it crashing to the ground, and then he sent his lightsaber towards the other one doing the same. When he was done he used the force to bring his lightsaber back to him.

"Wow! That was awesome!" said the Zabrak.

"Why do you think they made me a general?" replied Chad.

Eventually Chad landed the speeder and he told the younglings to get out and follow him.

"Why are we stopping here?" one of them asked.

"The clones are going to be looking for that speeder, so we're going to get another one."

Chad and the younglings raced through the streets of Coruscant until they found a place that sold speeders.

"I kinda like this one." said the Nautolan.

"Right now one speeder is as good as another." said Chad.

The younglings started to climb in when a man came up to them.

"Excuse me, what are you doing?"

"We're buying this speeder." said Chad.

He took out a bag and gave it to the man.

"I think this should cover it."

The man looked inside the bag.

"Whoa!"

It was filled with credits, probably more then enough to pay for the speeder. Chad jumped inside the speeder, turned to the man and said, "If anyone asks, you didn't see anything."

"You're the boss." the man replied.

Chad and the younglings took off.

"Master Kantor, where are we going exactly?" asked the Togruta.

"Somewhere safe."

Chad flew the speeder to the place where his wife Kamilla lived. After they were married she moved from her home planet to Coruscant.

"Wait here." he said to the younglings.

Chad knocked on the door. When it opened his wife wrapped her arms around him crying. She had long dark hair cascading down her back, her skin was a hazel-like tan, and her eyes were like two gorgeous black pearls.

"Thank heavens you're okay!" she cried "I heard about what happened at the temple and… Oh my! What's happened to your face?!"

She put her hand on the scar on Chad's eye.

"It's nothing. The clones have turned on us for some reason. I don't know why… I had to get out of there… Yrrej is dead."

"Oh honey…"

For a moment he just hung there in her arms.

"Kamilla I… I have four younglings with me… I couldn't just leave them there."

"Well don't just leave them outside, bring them in." she replied.

Chad brought the younglings inside.

"Get some rest." he said "I'll be keeping watch. If you need anything Kamilla can get it for you."

"Hello, what are your names?" said Kamilla trying to smile.

"I'm Kita." said the Togruta.

"I'm Gan." said the Nautolan.

"Cera." said the Twi'lek.

"And I'm Zar." said the Zabrak.

Hours passed but no one appeared to be looking for Chad or the younglings.

"They're finally asleep." said Kamilla.

"Good… We can't stay here… All over the HoloNet they're talking about Jedi attempting to assasinate the Supreme Chancellor."

"Oh my… Chad what are we going to do?"

"… I have a friend in the senate who might help us."

"Can you trust him?"

"I saved his wife once."

Chad started trying to make contact with his friend.

"Senator… Senator Organa… Do you read me?"

"Chad? Boy, I'm pleased to see that you're not dead."

"The entire 501st legion attacked the Jedi Temple and…"

"I know, this has been happening everywhere. Where are you?"

"I'm still on Coruscant, but I can't stay here."

"I understand, I'm on my way back to Coruscant right now. I'll make arrangements to get you off the planet."

"Thank you Senator."

When day broke Kamilla and Chad had their things packed and were ready to leave. Eventually they were told to go to an old junk freighter that was supposed to be heading for Raxus Prime, when it would really take them anywhere they wanted to go. After the war Chad was going to leave the Jedi order so he could start a family with Kamilla, but he never expected to become a father of four overnight.

"Are you sure you're up to raising four Jedi younglings?" asked Chad.

"More for me to love." said Kamilla smiling.


	2. One big happy family

For the next thirteen years Chad, Kamilla, and the younglings lived in secret, never staying in the same place too long. The had traveled from Nar Shaddaa, Corellia, Carida, Mon Calamari, Chandrila, and finally Naboo. Chad had been told by Senator Organa about the relationship between Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala, and that Vader would never go there. They knew for a fact that Vader himself wasn't present years earlier when it was discovered that Queen Apailana had been hiding other Jedi that survived order 66, instead he sent his personal regiment of stormtroopers, the 501st, which had come to be known as "Vader's Fist". They figured that the imperials would never look in the same place twice, besides; Chad had good relations with the Gungans.

It was against the Jedi code to take on more than one Padawan at a time, but then again the Jedi had never been hunted by an evil like the Galactic Empire before. Chad and Kamilla raised the younglings as their own, and recently Kamilla gave birth to a son, together they were a family.

"Remind me again why the Jedi couldn't have families." said Kamilla.

"The Jedi sought to remain objective, so they were to sever all personal attachments. That's why they were raised by the order at infancy."

"Being objective didn't save them from the purge." joked Kamilla.

Everyday Chad watched his Padawan's spare with each other and taught them the ways of the force. They lived out in one of the most remote regions of Naboo since any non-humans that weren't Gungans stuck out like sore thumbs; and Kita, Cera, Gan, and Zar were all four different species from other planets. Only Chad, Kamilla, and their son could walk around the planet without raising suspicion.

"Let's see you block this!"

Cera's pink bladed lightsaber was a blur as she slashed at Kita aggressively, but Kita was able to block every single blow. She knew that Cera's preferred form of Ataru though aggressive could cause fatigue in prolonged combat, and her preferred form of Soresu kept her safe while tiring Cera out.

"You can't keep this up forever."

Cera started to spin around really fast. Her attacks were graceful but predictable.

"Come on Cera, are we having a duel or a dance?" said Kita.

Cera ran at her, but as soon as she was about to strike Kita vanished into thin air. Kita was the most skilled among the four Padawans at using the force. She was the only one to be able to use a rare technique where a person could use the force to bend light around them, which rendered them invisible.

"Hey! No fair!"

Cera looked around but found no sign of Kita. Suddenly she was blasted forward by something and fell face first into the ground. Kita walked up behind her.

"If you had been fighting Vader he wouldn't have blasted you into the ground, he would have stabbed you in the back." she said smiling.

"Oh great, now my face is all dirty."

As Cera brushed herself off she noticed that Kita wasn't wearing shoes. She knew this was because Togrutas thought that it cut them off from their bond with the land to which they believed they had a spiritual connection. But Cera for one didn't like the idea of getting her feet dirty in this remote swamp; but Cera's outfit was more revealing than Kita's, this was because Cera thought extra clothing hampered her movement in combat.

"I wonder how my Ganny is doing."

Since childhood Cera and Gan had been good friends, and over the years it started to blossom into something more.

"Well let's go check on the boys then."

"Come on, you call that an attack?"

Zar charged at Gan full force, but Gan merely side stepped out of the way, his green bladed lightsaber blocked Zar's attack. Zar practiced the combat form Juyo because when he was younger he idolized Master Windu, this is also why his lightsaber had a violet colored blade, but unfortunately Zar's skills were far from perfect, so Gan wasn't intimidated even if form VII was considered the most vicious form of lightsaber combat.

"Up high! Down low! Too slow!"

Zar angrily struck at Gan.

"Do you think you're better then me?! Do you!?!"

"No, you're just too cocky."

Without warning Gan blasted Zar with the force pushing him into a tree.

"Winner and still champion! Gan!"

Zar growled in anger. He jumped up at Gan and started to slash furiously at him until he knocked his lightsaber out of his hand.

"Zar! Wait!"

Zar was about to slash again when…

"ZAR! What are you doing!?!"

As Chad approached Zar deactivated his lightsaber. Then Cera and Kita showed up.

"Gan! What happened?"

"I beat him and he just flipped."

"I can tell this is about more than just losing to Gan in a sparring match." said Chad.

"What's wrong Zar?" asked Kita.

"Nothing…"

"You don't almost kill someone over nothing." said Chad.

"Well… What are we doing this for?" said Zar.

"What do you mean?"

"You now exactly what I mean! For the last thirteen years we spend day after day practicing killing ourselves, for what?! Nobody sees us, nobody appreciates us, nobody even knows we're alive out here!"

"We don't want anyone to know we're alive out here Zar." said Kita "We're officially enemies of the Galactic Empire."

"I'm sick of running and hiding! We should fight back!"

"There are only five of us Zar." said Chad "Only five of us against legions of stormtroopers, entire fleets of Star Destroyers, and who knows what else."

"I don't care! I'd rather fight and die than stay stuck in this swamp forever!"

"Zar, we are among the last of the Jedi. But as long as we live the order survives."

"But as long as Palpatine rules the galaxy with Vader as his iron fist we aren't free to live! We have to do something about it!"

"And what do you suggest we do?"

Zar was silent. He just turned and walked away.

"Master is he…"

"No, he hasn't been corrupted… He just needs to find his path in life."

"What if he finds a particularly bad one?" asked Gan.

There wasn't time for them to think about it, because Kamilla had just called them to dinner.

The hut that Chad and the others lived in was deep in one of the swamps on Naboo. The only people who knew about it were the Gungans. It wasn't much but it was home. When Kita walked in she was greeted with glee by Chad's infant son.

"Hello junior, how was your day?" she said smiling.

Kamilla was wearing one of the dresses that Kita had made for her using the pelts of animals she had hunted. Kamilla had been like a mother to the four Padawans since the day they met, even if they weren't the same species.

"Where's Zar?" asked Kamilla.

"He's having another funk." said Cera.

"Again?"

"It's nothing to worry about. He just need's some time alone with his thoughts." said Chad.

Zar sat alone on a hilltop looking at the stars in the night sky. When he was young he always dreamed about becoming a full Jedi Knight, a hero that everybody loved, and yet here he was living life as the Empire's most wanted.

"No one understands me."

A few years ago Zar tattooed his face. When the others found out they were a bit shocked because now he resembled the Sith lord Darth Maul. He never told them why he did it.

"Will I ever be a real Jedi?"

Zar closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. He knew that sometimes Jedi could see the future. He wanted to know if things would ever be like they used to be.

"Will the Jedi ever be the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy again? Or will the last of the Jedi spend the rest of their lives in exile and be forgotten by history?"

He wanted to know, but that wasn't what he was seeing. He saw himself and his friends fighting for their lives against what looked like a million stormtroopers, then suddenly it stopped. Silence followed only to be broken by the sound of deep breathing through a respirator, then he saw the crimson lightsaber blade.


	3. Vader's Mission

Darth Vader was sparring with Commander Mordred, commander of the 501st legion. Unlike the rest of the stormtrooper corps the 501st legion composed entirely of clones of the late Jango Fett, but Commander Mordred was unique among his clone brothers. He was an unaltered clone with no growth acceleration and no tampering of the mind so he was completely independent. Unlike all the other troopers in the regiment Mordred's armor wore the same blue markings used by the original 501st troopers, he also wore a long gray cape; this was so he could stand out among the other stormtroopers. Most distinctive of all was the lightsaber he carried. He had been personally by Lord Vader in lightsaber combat at his own request; saying that if he ever ran into any Jedi that survived order 66 he wanted to be able to beat them at their own game. To date he had killed thirteen Jedi while serving Lord Vader.

All the other stormtroopers enjoyed watching the occasional sparring matches between Lord Vader and the commander; even though Vader always came out on top, but today looked like it might be the commander's lucky day. At this point his blue lightsaber was locked against the crimson blade of Lord Vader's.

"Not so tough when you can't lift me off the ground eh?" said the commander.

Commander Mordred knew he wouldn't stand a chance against a force user by himself, which is why he always carried a live ysalamir, a hairy lizard-like creature that had the ability to project a ten meter bubble in which the force could have no influence, on his back; this way he could deprive his Jedi victims of their big advantage.

"Yield." he said as he backed Vader into a corner.

Without warning Vader used the force to send one of the stormtrooper spectators crashing through one of the transparisteel viewpoints, sucking him into the cold vacuum of space. Commander Mordred himself was about to be sucked through when a large metal grate slid down and sealed the shattered viewpoint shut.

Vader walked over to the hunched over Commander; his crimson lightsaber was so close to his neck he could feel the heat generated by it.

"Always mind your surroundings Commander. And more importantly, never underestimate the force."

"Yes, Lord Vader."

Vader's lightsaber deactivated with a hiss, he could sense that someone else had entered the room.

"What is it Admiral?" he said without even turning to look at the man.

"I hate to interrupt Lord Vader but… the Emperor wishes to make contact with you."

"Very well."

Vader left the room without saying another word. Captain Lance, Commander Mordred's second in command, walked over to help his old friend up.

"How many times does this make it?"

"I lost count." replied Mordred "But at least I learn from my mistakes."

"In that case you ought to be pretty knowledgeable by now."

Vader went straight to his private quarters and knelt down before the holo-projector as a larger then life image of the Emperor appeared above it.

"What is thy bidding my master?"

"My spies have located several Jedi who survived order 66 on my homeworld of Naboo. I wish for you to deal with them, Lord Vader."

Vader hesitated before answering.

"It will be done, master."

"It has been thirteen years since your rebirth, Lord Vader. To realize the full power of the dark side you must purge yourself of any remnant of your former persona. Now is the perfect time to rid yourself of anything that is left."

"Yes, my master."

Vader didn't rise until the image of The Emperor had disappeared completely.

"Of all the planets in the galaxy… Why did it have to be Naboo?" he thought.

Years earlier when it was discovered that Queen Apailana had been hiding Jedi that survived order 66 Vader sent his personal regiment of stormtroopers to deal with it, but he himself wasn't present. For his own well being, both mentally and physically, he couldn't set foot on Naboo ever again… But he had to obey his master. He pressed a few buttons on the controls for the holo-projector and soon the images of both the Admiral and Commander Mordred appeared.

"Admiral, ready the fleet and set course for Naboo. Commander, prepare your men. I have an assignment for you."

"Yes Lord Vader."


	4. Vader's Reminations

Kita sat alone in deep meditation somewhere in the swamps of Naboo. The bright warm sun shined on her exposed back and shoulders, but she knew that a storm was coming. Suddenly she felt a great disturbance in the force, and she knew that the storm wasn't the only thing that was coming. She ran immediately to her master.

"Master! It's…"

"I sense it too… It's the dark side of the force."

"… Darth Vader has found us?"

"Perhaps… But if he didn't land on the planet years ago then odds are he himself won't come here to kill us, but he will send his stormtroopers… Gather the others… We have to hurry."

As the fleet came out of hyperspace; aboard his flagship Darth Vader stared at the planet of Naboo through the command bridges viewpoints. Just the sight of the planet made him uneasy. The events that had occurred here may have happened a long time ago, maybe even in someone else's life entirely, but Lord Vader could still remember. This is where he… this is where Anakin Skywalker, a mere child, destroyed an entire Trade Federation droid control ship from the inside. Qui-Gon Jinn, the person who freed Skywalker from slavery on Tatooine, the only person to ever see him for what he really was; this is where he died. But above all this was the place where Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala became husband and wife.

"Lord Vader?"

"Has the fleet been deployed as I requested, Admiral?" he said without turning to look at him.

"Yes my lord."

"And the Interdictor cruisers?"

"All gravity well projectors are up and running."

"Good. Make sure nothing leaves this system."

Vader turned to leave.

"Lord Vader, the queen is demanding to speak with you. She's upset about our blockading the planet."

"I have no time for monarchs Admiral. You will act in my state."

"What should I tell her?"

"Tell her at the request of the emperor we are looking for Jedi fugitives, and that there is little room in the Empire for monarchs who don't know their place or when to shut their mouths."

Vader left the command bridge and went to his private quarters. He sat in his meditation sphere which closed around him. The pressurized climate controlled hyperbaric chamber allowed him to breathe without the assistance of his mask which had been removed by mechanical hands. It was only in these chambers that he felt human again.

"I am a slave…"

All his life Vader had been a slave. Anakin Skywalker was born a slave to Gradulla the Hutt on Tatooine, years later when he and his mother were lost in a bet they became slaves to Watto the junk dealer. Anakin had always dreamed of a better life, and one day his dream came true. He was discovered by Qui-Gon Jinn and freed from slavery on Tatooine, but only to become a slave to the Jedi order. Qui-Gon had seen his potential, but all the other Jedi ever saw him for was a person whose skills they could exploit. In all his years with the Jedi only one person ever sway him for what he really was.

"Padmé…"

The Jedi may have seen him as a tool that could be used to achieve their ends, but Padmé… Padmé was his angel of mercy, she was the only one who ever cared about him. But she was taken from him by Obi-Wan just like his mother was taken from him by the Tusken Raiders. The Jedi promised to give him a new life… All they did was take everything from him. And when he finally had his revenge on the Jedi for all they had done to him he lost Padmé and his humanity, now he was a slave of the Emperor and the dark side of the force, but now he was alone.

"It was never supposed to be this way… Why am I the slave of this decrepit old man?"

If not for Obi-Wan he could have destroyed the Emperor. But now he was more machine then man; as powerful as he was he would never realize his full potential. Since he had lost his limbs he would never be able to conjure Sith Lightening or be invulnerable to it. If he ever tried to make a stand against the Emperor it would only be too easy for him to overload the life support systems in his suit that kept him alive.

"But in a way… The idea of taking a stand against Palpatine is what got me here in the first place."

He remembered what had transpired on Mustafar between him and Padmé. When he could have run away with her as he always wanted to do he didn't, because he was thinking only about himself. Maybe it was best that he never saw her again, he was no longer the handsome young Jedi she had fallen in love with.

"It doesn't matter much now… but my dear beloved Padmé… wouldn't I fear… very much care for me now."

Inside his meditation chamber Vader could no longer see the planet of Naboo, but he still felt it. And everything that had taken place here flowed through his mind. Memories he had tried his best to bury took over. Old wounds had been opened.

"Old sins cast long shadows… Who does that remind me of? Of course…"

It was a Jedi proverb, he… Anakin Skywalker had been reminded of it years earlier on a mission to return Jabba the Hutt's son with…

"Ahsoka…"

He hadn't thought about her in a long time… but he could never forget her. He remembered explaining to her that the proverb meant that your past can ruin your future if you allow it.

"My master is right. I should just bury my past out there with the ones I loved."


	5. Mordred's Pets

Commander Mordred and his men had landed on the planet. If their intelligence was correct then the Jedi were living in a remote swamp far from any of the major cities. Commander Mordred and his men approached the hut accompanied by several AT-STs.

"Attention Jedi! In the name of the Galactic Empire you are under arrest! Come out with your appendages where we can see them!"

When nothing happened Commander Mordred chopped down the door with his lightsaber and his men charged in, but the hut was empty.

"Commander, there's no one here." said one the troopers who had just finished searching the hut.

Mordred felt the smoldering log in the fireplace.

"It's still hot. They couldn't have gotten far."

Mordred walked back to his shuttle.

"Commander, how are we going to find a few Jedi among the population of a planet this size?" asked Captain Lance.

"With these."

The commander pointed to several metal boxes that were shaking. Captain Lance heard something that sounded like vicious barking coming from them.

"What are those?"

"Just something I picked up on my latest trip to the planet Myrkr."

Chad, Kamilla, and their son drove in a landspeeder across the plains of Naboo. They had split up from the Kita and the others because humans wouldn't raise any suspicion in public. They had to get to the place where Chad had hidden his custom starship. He estimated the 501st legion would be looking for them in the wilderness, so he decided to go straight through the capital city of Theed since it was probably the only place where they weren't looking for them. Even so there was a road block at the city' gates.

"What are those?" asked Kamilla.

"Novatroopers."

"Novatroopers?"

"They're just stormtroopers wearing black and gold armor. Probably think they're special because this is the Emperor's homeworld."

"I don't like this Chad." she said holding the baby in her arms.

"Trust me, just act natural." he replied.

Chad drove casually up to the gates and stopped when the troopers gestured him to do so.

"Where ya headed?"

"We're taking the baby for his checkup." said Kamilla.

"Let me see your identification."

"You don't need to see our identification." whispered Chad.

"We don't need to see their identification." said the trooper.

"We're not the one's you're looking for."

"They're not the one's we're looking for."

"We can go about our business."

"You can go about your business."

"Move along."

"Move along."

When they were safely away from the troopers Kamilla asked how he just did that.

"My dear, the force can be a powerful weapon on the weak minded. Watch this."

Chad pointed at a nearby pedestrian and whispered, "I am a big fat idiot."

The man got up on a nearby bench and shouted, "I am a big fat idiot!"

Chad's son started laughing.

"Do you think that Kita and the others will be okay?" asked Kamilla.

"I've trained them well; they should be able to take care of themselves."

Kita, Cera, Gan, and Zar were all cramped in the cargo of what appeared to be a speeder junk truck. It was being driven by what appeared to be a human, but was actually a droid in disguise.

"This is so stupid!" said Zar "We should fight these guys instead of just sneaking around!"

"Zar, the greatest victory is the battle not fought." said Kita.

"Teacher's pet."

"Need I remind you that our objective is to get safely to our starship and escape this planet, not to get us all killed."

"Even if we do get to the Dragoon; that bucket of bolts is never going to be able to take out an entire fleet of Star Destroyers!"

"We don't need to take them out, we just need to get past them."

While Kita and Zar were arguing Cera spoke to Gan as he gave the droid orders as to how to drive the speeder.

"Do you think the Dragoon will be able to get us past that blockade?"

"Well, it won't be easy. Some of the ships that came out of hyperspace are Interdictor cruisers; Vader obviously doesn't want us to have a quick get away. We'll need to destroy the gravity well projectors on at least one of the cruisers before we can make the jump to hyperspace."

"I take it the ships are heavily shielded."

"Yes, this is why the Master and I have installed new twin mass driver cannons on the Dragoon. The heavy projectiles fired out of those cannons will be able to bypass the enemy shields. Once the gravity well generators are down we just to make the jump to hyperspace and we're home free."

"Well, if we do make it I want to go some place nice where you don't need layered clothing. Some place romantic, I hear Kattada has beautiful beaches."

"Yeah, but it's native population is humans. I want to go to some place where we can actually go out in public without looking suspicious."

"We are not going to anywhere like Nar Shaddaa! Do you remember what happened?"

Nar Shadda was one of the first places that Chad, his wife, and Padawans' lived. The largest moon of Nal Hutta housed many different species so it was easy to hide there, but it was also ripe with crime. A few months after they had settled; Kita and Cera were kidnapped by a bounty hunter. If Chad hadn't rescued them they would have been sold into slavery. They had to find a new place to live the very next day.

"Okay Cera, whatever makes you happy… But no Rancors."

Cera laughed a little.

"I haven't thought about that in a long time."

A few years ago while they were living on Carida they ran into an angry Rancor. The attack attracted the unwanted attention of the Imperial officials there and they had to leave.

"Remember how Kita somehow managed to get control of that things mind while Zar was too busy screaming like a baby?"

"Ha ah… Uh oh.

Gan noticed the same road block of Novatroopers that their master had driven past a few minutes ago.

"What should I do?"

"Stick to the plan. Just act natural." said Kita.

Gan had his droid drive up to the gate and stopped when the troopers gestured him to do so.

"Where ya headed?"

"Docking bay… 56. This… uh… hazardous waste is going to Raxus Prime." said Gan through the droid.

"Let me see your identification."

"Oh crud, we didn't make an I.D. for the droid!" whispered Gan.

"I'll take care of this." said Zar raising his hand.

"What are you doing?" asked Cera.

"Saving our skins."

Suddenly one of the troopers screamed causing the others to look at him.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHH!!! I'LL SEE YOU ALL IN HELL!!!"

The trooper drew his blaster and started to fire away at the others.

"What the… AGGH!!!"

After all the other troopers had been shot dead Zar made him charge away firing into the air. Suddenly more troopers came running past the speeder chasing after him.

"Go, Go!" said Zar.

With the speeder forgotten Gan drove into the city.

"Phew."

Zar breathed a sigh of relief, but Kita stared at him with her arms crossed.

"What?"

"Was that really necessary?"

"We needed to get away from those troopers."

"Yes, but you didn't need to make one of them go crazy and kill the rest!"

"Hey, it got the job done didn't it? And since when do you care if I kill a bunch of stormtroopers?"

"In case you've forgotten Zar, not all the troopers are just clones anymore. Some of them are people and they probably have families!"

"I don't care if…"

"That's just it! You don't care! We are Jedi, and we are supposed to care!"

"The only good imperial is a dead one."

"You know what? The master was right! Form VII is a sure way to lead practitioners to the dark side!"

"It didn't seduce Master Windu!"

"Well you're not Master Windu, and you never will be!"

"While criticizing each other based on our lightsaber techniques Kita; Soresu may protect you from a group of armed Stormtroopers, but how long do you think it will protect you from Vader, or stars help you the Emperor himself? Against enemies like them Soresu only delays the inevitable!"

"Why you… stuck up, Sith-like, scruffy looking… horn head!"

"Horn head?" laughed Zar "Look who's talking."

The argument was interrupted by the sound of vicious barking.

"What is that?" asked Kita.

"Guys… I think we've got company!" said Gan.

They looked on the screen that showed several huge fierce canine beasts charging up to the speeder.

"Vornskyrs!" exclaimed Cera.

Vornskyrs were fierce canine creatures that could hunt using the force, because of this they targeted force-sensitive people as their primary pery, but they were only native to the planet Myrkr.

"What is a pack of Vornskyrs doing here on Naboo?" asked Kita.

"Who cares? They're coming right at us. Gan activate the weapons on this thing!" said Zar.

Gan fired the rear weapons on the speeder blasting the Vornskyrs into nothingness, suddenly something blasted the speeder knocking it into the air and crashing flat on the ground on its side.

"Is everyone okay?" asked Kita.

"The speeders a wreck, but we're fine." said Gan.

"What the heck hit us?" asked Cera.

"Oh crud…" said Zar looking out the window."

Through the smoke they could see what might have been an army of stormtroopers surrounding the fallen speeder. They had been following the Vornskyrs right to the Jedi they detected.


	6. Kita & Friends vs Vader's Fist

"Commander Mordred, this is Captain Lance. Do you copy?"

"Mordred here."

"Commander, we've found the Jedi. They're in the capital city of Theed."

"Keep them busy until I get there. Do not lose them, or Lord Vader is going to start chopping heads."

"In the name of the Galactic Empire; you are under arrest! Come out with your appendages where we can see them!"

"I suppose we should worry about their families too?" said Zar sarcastically.

"The 501st legion is made entirely of clones of the late Jango Fett. Their sole purpose is to fight and die in the name of the Empire. They have no families." said Kita.

"I have your blessing then?"

"Kill them all." said Kita igniting her lightsaber.

Kita used the force to push the back door of the overturned speeder at a group of Stormtroopers that were behind them. She, Zar, Gan, and Cera all rushed out wielding their lightsabers.

"Kill the Jedi!" yelled one of the stormtroopers.

Kita and the others were met with a hailstorm of blaster bolts. Kita deflected every shot that came her way and sent it right back at the stormtrooper who fired it. Gan used the force to rip the blasters right out the hands of a group of stormtroopers. He simply pointed his lightsaber at his unarmed opponents and they ran.

"So that's Vader's fist? Well it would appear that Vader has little girlie hands!" he laughed.

Cera used the force to propel herself forward and ran so fast she was like a blue blur. She jumped in the air and did five perfect in air flips before landing gracefully in front of another group of stormtroopers. Surprisingly one of the troopers actually dropped his weapon.

"Wow…"

"Wow is right." said another trooper "I'm not sure whether to open fire or fall in love."

Cera smiled and said, "Sorry boys, this item is not on the menu." then she blasted them into a nearby wall with the force.

Zar heard what Cera had said while he was hacking oncoming troopers to pieces with his lightsaber.

"The only thing…"

"AGGGGHHH!"

"On tonight's menu…"

"YAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!"

"Is sliced stormtroopers."

Kita being a master of the Soresu form blocked any blaster bolts that came her way and redirected them back at the troopers that fired them. She caused the troopers pursing her to fall back, but soon they got too close to the river. She then pushed them in with the force. The troopers struggled ruthlessly against the current and fell over the waterfall.

"I guess these troopers are all washed up." she said.

Suddenly another hailstorm of blaster bolts came from the buildings overhead.

"Snipers!" exclaimed Kita "Take cover!"

Kita, Cera, Gan, and Zar all backed into a nearby alley.

"This isn't good." said Gan "They're blocking off our escape route."

"Cera, take care of the snipers, we'll cover for you." said Kita.

"No problem."

Cera used the force to jump to the roof of the building they were by. Next she leapt across buildings towards the snipers, deflecting or dodging shots as she went. When she was just on top of them she either sliced the troopers in half or pushed them off the building with the force. When she was coming to the last one he actually lifted a rocket launcher against her and fired. The projectile hissed past Cera and when she landed she performed a perfect Sai cha with a Jung ma, that is spinning her lightsaber in a 360 degree turn and beheading her opponent.

"I rock." she said.

Suddenly huge blast came out of nowhere that would have taken Cera's head off if she hadn't ducked in time. She scanned the city from the building and saw two oncoming vehicles from two different directions. She jumped off the building and landed beside her friends.

"Chicken walkers! Two of them!"

"Chicken walkers?" asked Zar.

"She means AT-ST's. You know, the thing that replaced the AT-RT's used in the Clone Wars?" said Gan.

"Very well. I'll go this way, you go that way."

Zar and Gan both charged in opposite directions towards one of the AT-ST's. Zar charged at his dodging blaster bolts and the concussion grenades that were fired from it as he went. He dashed between it's legs and sliced through one of them with his lightsaber. The AT-ST stumbled and exploded as it hit the ground behind him. Meanwhile Gan got close enough to his AT-ST and threw a thermal detonator at it. The AT-ST was enveloped in the resulting explosion. They returned to Kita and Cera, but no stormtroopers were to be seen.

"Aw, no more? I was just getting warmed up." said Zar.

Those words had barely left Zar's mouth when suddenly blaster bolts seem to come out of nowhere. Kita and the others barely dodged or deflected them, and the shots kept coming. Kita and the others decided to make a tactical retreat.

"It must be Shadow Troopers! Their armor has a built in cloaking device so we can't see them!" said Gan.

"How do we fight something we can't see?" asked Cera.

"Leave it to me."

"Zar what are you doing?" asked Kita.

Zar had blindfolded himself.

"Eyes are useless against an enemy you can't see."

Zar stepped out of their hiding place carrying his lightsaber and stood in the middle of the street waiting for the Shadow Troopers to find him.

"I don't need to see them… The force will be my eyes."

Zar threw his lightsaber which stabbed one the Shadow Troopers through the chest, as it's lifeless body fell to the ground it's cloaking device deactivated revealing the black armor. He called his lightsaber back with the force and pulled another Shadow trooper with it and sliced it in half. The last trooper started to shoot at him, but he deflected the shot right back at the trooper's head. Zar took of his blindfold and looked at the three Shadow troopers he had just defeated.

"Oh yeah, it's a talent." he said to himself.

He returned to Kita, Cera, and Gan.

"You have to admit, even I have my moments." he said.

"Not a lot." replied Kita.

"But I do have them?"

Kita smiled, "Yes."

Suddenly a huge ship came overhead and a caped figure jumped from it.

"Wait… That's not Vader." said Kita.

Commander Mordred landed on the ground and drew his lightsaber; he turned to face Kita and the others. When he spoke he sounded both surprised and disappointed.

"Padawans? Vader sent me to deal with a bunch of Padawans?"


	7. Unlucky 13

"Does anyone know who or what this is?" asked Cera.

"I'll tell you, it's just a another stormtrooper, only with a little blue to his plastic, a cape, and a lightsaber." said Zar.

"Ignorant Padawans… I am Mordred, Commander of the 501st Legion, and I've been trained in your Jedi arts by Lord Vader."

"If he's so famous why haven't I heard of him?" joked Gan.

"I suggest you back off now "Commander", you're in way over your head." said Kita.

"Try me."

Kita used the force in attempt to knock Mordred off his feet, but to her surprise nothing happened.

"What!?!"

"I've killed thirteen Jedi in my time Padawan, and I'm more then aware that I wouldn't stand against a Jedi by myself, so I've taken the liberty of evening the odds."

Kita saw a lizard-like head peep out from behind Mordred's cape.

"A ysalamir… I hate those things."

"Now which of you will oppose me first?"

"I got him." said Gan.

As Gan stepped up to face him, Mordred held his blue bladed saber in one hand, brought it up vertically directly in front of his helmet, then swung it down and made a rapid X in the air. This was the Makashi salute, it was how practitioners of lightsaber combat form II said, "Bring it on."

Gan charged at Mordred, but he blocked every one of his attacks. In-between blows the commander taunted him.

"Form VI, Niman, the way of the rancor, or the moderation form… It may have no weaknesses, but it doesn't have any strengths either… It certainly didn't save Cin Drallig from Lord Vader's wrath."

Mordred slashed at Gan delivering precise powerful blows that the boy could barely deflect. Then when he least expected it; Mordred kicked him hard in the face knocking him back.

"Gan!" yelled Cera rushing over to him.

"This guy's good." said Zar.

"Yeah… Why don't you go next?" asked Kita.

"Thank you."

Zar stepped up to face Mordred.

"What's this, a teenage Darth Maul?" joked Mordred.

Zar charged at Mordred and slashed viciously at him.

"Juyo… The most vicious of the seven forms… But your form is far from perfect."

Zar tried to be unpredictable with his attacks, but Mordred seemed to always know where his blade was coming from.

"Oh surely you can do better." He said blocking a blow that was meant for his head.

Zar tried and tried, but he couldn't touch the commander, and while he wasn't looking Mordred tripped him with his feet. As Mordred brought his blade down Zar rolled away just in time, if he hadn't he would have had a big hole in his chest.

"Uh… Match you for it?" asked Kita.

Kita and Cera did a quick game of rock paper scissors to see who would face the commander next.

"1… 2… 3… Shoot!"

"Oh great." said Cera.

"Well hello beautiful." said Mordred as Cera stepped up to face him, "You know… Blue is my favorite color."

"The C-ship has left the station." said Cera drawing her pink bladed lightsaber and getting into the Ataru opening stance.

"Very well, shall we?"

Lightsaber combat form IV, Ataru, the way of the Hawk-Bat, or the Aggression form had practitioners always on the offensive. They constantly used the force to aid in their movements and attacks. By allowing the Force to flow throughout their body, they could overcome their physical limitations (including old age, as was the case with Master Yoda) and perform amazing feats of acrobatics, such as somersaults and backflips, not only for attack, but also to evade the attacks and strikes of their opponents. Unfortunately Cera couldn't use the force to aid her because Mordred's Ysalamir prevented her from using the force to influence anything within ten meters.

"Not to sound sexist or anything, but you fight like a girl." said Mordred.

Cera's attacks were graceful but predictable.

"It's coming from above… below… the right… the left…" thought Mordred.

Cera was starting to feel very exhausted. Ataru wasn't a good choice for prolonged combat because it could tax the body.

"It is said there is nothing more beautiful then a Twi'lek in movement… But unfortunately for you… this is not a dance."

Without warning, and with one swift strike; Mordred scored a minute wound across Cera's shoulder.

"AAAAGGGGHHH! My arm!"

"Cera? You hurt my Cera!?!" said Gan "That's it! Zar! Let's get this guy!"

Both Gan and Zar charged at Mordred while Kita ran over to where Cera was hunched on the ground.

"Cera! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine… It's just minute wound."

"Here, put this on it." she said handing her a bacta patch.

While Kita was busy tending Cera's wound, Gan and Zar were fighting the commander. Despite being outnumbered Mordred was able to block all of their attacks. He managed to knock Gan's lightsaber out of his hand, sliced it in half, and then kicked him hard in the chest. He then turned his attention to Zar.

"The boy's attention is unfocused… He's just slashing like a wild animal. I do believe I can use this to my advantage."

Mordred raised his lightsaber up high making it look like he was about to attack from above. When Zar raised his lightsaber to defend himself; Mordred brought his down with one swift motion.

"AAAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!"

Zar had been slashed across the leg. He dropped his lightsaber and fell to the ground.

"You will be the first."

Mordred raised his saber high and Zar braced himself for the hot slash that would make him one with the force.

"NO!!!"

At the last minute Kita jumped over and shielded Zar from the commander's attack with her own lightsaber.

"Well what do we have here?" said the commander "A Togruta wearing only a brown and black leather brassiere fastened over the neck that leaves her back, shoulders and arms completely exposed, a leather G-string thong with two flowing brown veils attached to the front and back of it, and to top it all off you're not wearing shoes… What are you some kind of Jedi slave girl?"

"Actually… I'm your executioner." Kita said forcing Mordred's blade away from Zar.

Mordred slashed viciously at Kita, but she blocked every one of his blows.

"Mordred should be getting tired from his sparring with the others, but I'm fresh." She thought.

"Soresu… The most defensive of the forms of lightsaber combat." said Mordred in-between blows. You should know that when facing a duelist like me… that only delays the inevitable."

Kita ignored the taunt and threw her lightsaber, it went blade first into the wall behind Mordred just barely missing his face.

"That is a wonderful trick… Only you missed, and now you have no weapon."

As Mordred charged at her, Kita waited calmly for the right moment and used the force to propel herself up into the air. She did an in air somersault, landed behind Mordred, and yanked her lightsaber out of the wall.

"Jedi scum." said the commander.

He charged at Kita again, only this time she used the force to jump to the roof of the building behind her.

"Nah, nah!" she said sticking out her tongue "You're no match for a Jedi."

"By myself no, but I've already told you… I have ways of tipping the odds in my favor."

Mordred pressed a small button on something attached to his arm.

BOOOOMMMM!!!

Smoke and flame erupted from the building Kita was standing on.

"Uh oh, not good."

The building started to tip over and collapse. Kita ran down the side of the building being careful not to fall through any of the windows. At the last minute she jumped off the building and caught a nearby flagpole. She flipped quickly around on it several times and flung herself forward away from the falling debris. When she landed she stopped for a few moments to catch her breath, until Mordred emerged out of the smoke.

"While I kept you and your friends busy my men placed explosive charges all over the city. See I've been hunting Jedi for years, and during my time as Commander of the 501st I've come up with inventive ways to cheat."

"And what about the poor people that lived there?!" said Kita.

"Casualties of war my dear." replied Mordred.

"That's it… He's going down." thought Kita.

As the duel raged on Mordred tried blowing up more building, or blew holes in the ground in attempt to keep Kita off balance; it didn't work. She drove him back until they came to the cliff at the edge of the city. Kita started to slash viciously at Mordred until she finally knocked his lightsaber out of his hands and over the cliff. She pointed her blade at Mordred ready to strike.

"I have underestimated you young Jedi…" said Mordred "You have proven yourself to be a greater adversary then I anticipated… I am at your mercy… I surrender."

As much as Kita wanted to make Commander Mordred pay for what he had done to her friends Kita knew hat Jedi did not take revenge, nor would they murder an unarmed opponent who surrendered. As soon as she lowered her weapon Mordred pulled out a blaster and fired. Kita barely raised her saber in time to deflect it at the Commander sending him over the cliff.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Kita looked over the cliff and saw that the commander had been impaled on jagged rock far below. She deactivated her lightsaber and breathed a sigh of relief. She had hoped that the worst had come to pass, but in her bones she could feel that it was yet to come.


	8. The Wrath of Lord Vader

From inside his meditation chamber Vader heard the alarm sounding. The chamber's mechanical arm placed his mask and helmet back upon his head and the chamber opened. The holo-projector displayed the image of Captain Lance.

"What is it Captain?"

"Lord Vader, the commander is dead."

"… Keep the Jedi in the city, I'll be down in a few minutes."

"Yes Lord Vader."

The image shifted to an imperial pilot.

"Prepare my shuttle for launch."

"Yes lord Vader."

The minute Vader arrived the ship was ready to leave, just the way he liked it. As the shuttle took of and headed toward the surface of Naboo anything that had been going through Vader's mind had been replaced with white hot anger.

Somewhere in the cave where Chad's secret starship, The Dragoon, had been stashed his son started to cry.

"What is it honey?" asked Kamilla.

"I can feel it too…" said Chad.

"What?"

"It's Vader… He's coming for Kita and the others."

"Oh my…"

"I've got to go back."

"What!?!"

"Kamilla I didn't leave them to die thirteen years ago, and I'm not going to leave them now."

"But… Vader."

"I'm ready…"

Kamilla knew this just wasn't about Kita and the others. Yrrej Iksrege had been like a father to Chad. And to tell the truth Kamilla did love those kids as much as her own son. Before he left she kissed him knowing this might be the last time.

"Chad, I love you."

"I love you too Kamilla. And I promise you, I'll come back."

"… May the force be with you."

As Chad raced back to the city of Theed aboard his speeder he could almost swear he heard his late master's voice.

"You will need all your skill to survive."

The sky started to turn black with storm clouds, Kita could feel the dark side of the force approaching. She saw an imperial shuttle descending from the sky.

"It's him…"

Kita knew there was only one hope left. With all her might she reached out with the force and gripped the shuttle.

"Lord Vader! Something's wrong, we're losing altitude!"

"Open the hatch."

"But…"

"I said open it."

Without another word the pilot opened the shuttle's hatch and Vader leapt out into nothingness. He gripped the two ends of his cape so it acted like a parachute. He landed gracefully on the ground as his shuttle crashed. Raw fear gripped Kita's heart as the dark lord of the Sith rose to full height. The sound of his breathing through his respirator sent a chill down her spine. Vader took a long look at the young one. She looked like an older more mature version of Ahsoka, only wearing a more revealing outfit.

"The force is with you young one… You fight well… For a Padawan learner… but you've caused me enough trouble… Are you prepared to meet your fate?"

Without saying a word Kita ignited her lightsaber and Vader did likewise.

Kita knew she wasn't ready, but she couldn't back down either. She had to ignore her fear and focus on the situation at hand. From what her master had told her Vader's preferred form of lightsaber combat was a modified variant of Djem So. Vader would wait for her to attack so he could block it and immediately counter with an attack of his own. Instead of jumping into battle Kita would let Vader make the first move.

After moments of just standing there waiting for her to attack Vader advanced and slashed at Kita, she blocked the blow and jumped back. Vader had the advantage in terms of size and strength, she knew he could easily get the upper hand if their sabers were locked too long. Vader continued to slash at her and Kita kept blocking his blows and pulling back.

"Soresu… the most defensive of all forms of lightsaber combat… Hoping to tire me out… It's time you learn that the dark side is inexhaustible young one… against an opponent such as me it only delays the inevitable."

Kita practiced Soresu because Bail Organa had told her master that Vader was defeated years ago by Master Kenobi a Jedi Master and member of the Jedi council that specialized in Soresu. He also used it to defeat the infamous General Grievous. But she knew very well that Soresu didn't have a strong emphasis on attack, but she didn't have to worry about that because the force was her ally.

Kita used the force to lift a piece of debris from one of the buildings Commander Mordred had destroyed and flung it at Vader. But the Dark lord caught it as if it were a ball.

"Impressive."

Vader hurled the debris back at her, but Kita dodged it and used the force to turn invisible.

"Most impressive."

Vader waited, in no time at all Kita attacked him from behind. He easily blocked the blow and their sabers were locked.

"Your master has taught you well… You've learned to control your fear… Now release your anger… Only your hatred can destroy me."

Kita knew Vader was the one who killed her master's master.

"Sorry, but you're living proof that the dark side makes you ugly."

Kita dodged another one of Vader's attacks and turned invisible again. She started running around the place making considerable noise in certain areas. Vader responded by either throwing his lightsaber or by blasting the area he heard the noise with the force. Kita was trying to get Vader to use up his energy. Unfortunately when the dark lord realized he wasn't making any progress he raised his hands high and used the force to create a raging whirlwind. Chunks of debris whipped around in circles until finally a huge piece struck Kita causing her to lose her concentration and become visible again.

Vader charged at Kita and hammered away at her, she could barely block his attacks. He continued to drive her back until eventually Kita tripped over a dead stormtrooper and tumbled down a flight of stairs until she landed in a courtyard. When she hit the ground she heard a loud snap, her leg was broken. Vader descended the staircase and crushed her lightsaber beneath his foot, and then he used the force to raise her. Kita could feel herself choking and clutched her throat.

"I sense someone far more powerful on this planet… Where is your master?"

"I don't talk… to … Sith… trash."

The next thing Kita felt was a white hot flash across her chest, she tried to scream but something had choked it out of her. Vader released his hold on her and she fell to the ground.

"NO! KITA!!!"

Vader looked up the stairs in time to see Zar come charging down at him. The young Iridonian Zabrak ran at him ignoring the wound in his leg that he had suffered at the hands of Commander Mordred. He slashed at Vader viciously with his lightsaber, but the dark lord blocked every single one of his blows and then…

"AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!"

Zar's right arm fell to the ground and his lightsaber deactivated. Vader then used the force to blast him into a nearby wall knocking him unconscious.

"VADER! GET AWAY FROM THEM!!!"

Chad jumped out of no where and used the force to blast Vader far away. He ran over to the place where Kita lay.

"Kita… Kita!!!"

He checked her vital signs. She was still alive, but just barely. He took off his gloves and cradled her in his arms.

"Please Kita… Hold on."

He placed one hand on the wound across Kita's stomach. He called on all the power of the living force, begging and pleading for it to come to his aid. He had never done this before, and he wished he would never have to. He had only seen his master do it once before. He said it could only be achieved by someone with an incredibly strong bond to the force. Suddenly a bright blue aura radiated from him.

"Cling to me Kita… Cling to your life… My most precious gift I will now share with you… Another life I give to you… Knowing that it may cost me my own."

It happened so fast… It happened so slow… It was only a few minutes, but it felt like an eternity. The glow died down and Chad felt an incredible fatigue threaten to overwhelm him. He shook it off and looked down at his Padawan, her wound was gone and she was breathing again.

"Master?"

Chad turned around to see Cera and Gan.

"That was amazing!"

"Are you two alright?"

"Nothing but a couple flesh wounds." said Gan.

"Can't say the same for him." said Cera looking at Zar.

"Put a Bacta patch on his leg and take him and Kita back to the ship in my speeder, I'll be right behind you."

Cera and Gan didn't question their master's order; they hurried and got Kita and Zar into the speeder.

"May the force be with you, master."

As they sped off they wondered if this was the last time they'd ever see him.

Darth Vader reappeared and Chad turned to face him.

"I didn't expect you to come here… Something like that takes guts… And I understand that is something of which you have so little… Skywalker… Yes… I know who you are… Thirteen years ago in the Jedi Temple you killed my Master… Yrrej Iksrege!"

Vader noticed the scar next to Chad's eye.

"You… Now I will finish what I began with your face…"


	9. The Speeder Chase

Kita and Zar were unconscious as Gan and Cera raced through the streets of Theed in their master's speeder.

"Do you think the master can defeat Vader?" asked Cera.

"Vader couldn't kill the master even in his prime, and he certainly isn't in his prime anymore. He's more machine than man."

"But he's strong in the dark side…"

"Cera don't you remember what the master taught us? The dark side is not stronger; it's only quicker, easier, more seductive."

"Nevertheless… I've heard the stories."

"Cera I highly doubt Vader could have killed fifty Jedi by himself."

**(A rumor spread by Palpatine at the end of the graphic novel Star Wars Clone Wars volume 9)**

"Uh oh…"

At the city gates there were at least four AT-ST's coming right at them.

"I'll take care of this."

Cera threw her lightsaber at the oncoming AT-ST's, it sliced through their legs causing them to collapse and explode. Gan sped through the smoke and they headed out through the gates and into the wide open plains of Naboo. They didn't get far when several laser blasts fired past them.

"What now?"

Cera looked out the back and saw about ten tanks coming at them.

"What are those?"

"TIE Maulers, light Imperial ground vehicles. Like their airborne brethren they have a strong emphasis on speed and maneuverability at the expense of protective armor and deflector shields."

"Then they should be easy prey for these."

Cera reached into one the speeder's secret compartments and pulled out three landmines and threw them out the back, three TIE Maulers exploded behind them.

"There are still seven of them, and we're out of landmines!"

Gan had the speeder going full throttle, but the TIE Maulers were still catching up with them.

"Gan, I hope you don't plan on leading these guys back to the Dragoon."

"They won't make it anywhere close; I've got an idea. Our speeder levitates, but the tank treads on those TIE Maulers are flat on the ground."

Once over the hills they came upon a muddy swamp. Gan drove right through it, but the TIE Maulers stuck fast within five yards. Gan drove back and smiled.

"Sorry you all have to stick around, but here's a little something to remember us by."

As Gan zoomed away the TIE Maulers were destroyed by the thermal detonators he threw at them.

For a few minutes it looked like Gan and Cera had gotten away, but their thoughts only seemed to jinx them. Sooner than they knew it they were dodging missiles and laser blasts. Now they were being chased by a group of four 2-M Saber-class repulsor tanks, the successors to the TX-130T fighter tanks that were used during the Clone Wars.

"This isn't good, those things have deflector shields!" said Gan.

"What do we do?"

"Cera, use the comlink to call the Gungans!"

Chad had been stationed on Naboo more than once during the Clone Wars. In that time he had established good relations with the Gungans. When he came to Naboo after Order 66 they provided him and his family with their secret home, and they were willing to help them escape.

"BB to Willy… Come in Willy!" said Cera.

**(As in Wet Willy)**

"Meesa hear you."

Cera was talking in secret code incase the imperials had somehow managed to tap into their frequency. Since the rise of the Empire the Gungans had gone into seclusion for fear of enslavement, Chad and his family didn't want to be the ones to finally bring down the hammer.

"Get ready to play ball."

"Roger."

Gan drove the speeder into the woods; since there was only a narrow path that led from one end of the forest to the other the Imperial tanks had to follow in a single file line. As Gan and Cera approached followed by the tanks the Gungans stood on top of a camouflaged ramp ready to ambush.

"Get ready… Wait till theysa under us."

They waited until the Padawans were safely on the other side.

"Let it go!"

The Gungans pulled back on the boards at the top of the ramp and a huge blue energy ball rolled down towards the oncoming tanks.

"AAGGGGHHHH!!!"

Due to the thick forest the tanks couldn't move out of the dirt road. The energy ball collided with the first tank stopping it in its tracks, the other three tanks crashed into it.

Cera and Gan didn't meet any more opposition for the rest of the way. Gan circled several time to make sure they weren't being followed and then proceeded directly to the cave where the Dragoon was hidden. When they got there they found Kamilla waiting for them.

"By the force! What happened!?!" she said looking at the place where Zar's arm used to be.

"He had a close encounter with Vader."

Chad's son cried when he saw Kita.

"Oh my… What happened to her?"

"Same thing." said Cera.

"She's not…"

"No… At least I don't think so... Master somehow healed her with the force."

"Where is he?"

"He told us to meet you here and get the ship ready to launch… He said he'd be right behind us."

"Okay… Cera, help me get Zar and Kita into the med room. Gan get the ship ready."

Lightening raced across the night sky and rain began to pour. The storm Kita had predicted had come, as had Vader. After thirteen years of hiding Chad was once again face to face against his rival from the Jedi Order. In her state Kita had no idea where she was, but she knew that at the moment her master was face to face with the dark lord. Ever since he had saved her life all those years ago in the Jedi temple he'd been like a father to her, he loved her like she was his own daughter, and now despite her training, despite all their best efforts, he was all alone against Vader, and there was nothing she could do to help him. Even though she was unconscious at the time she could still hear his last words to her, and they echoed in her head through the blackness.

"Cling to me Kita… Cling to your life… My most precious gift I will now share with you… Another life I give to you… Knowing that it may cost me my own."

"I'm so sorry… my master… my father… I'm so sorry."


	10. Chad vs Vader

"I've been waiting a long time for this moment Kantor… Now you shall know once and for all that I am the greater."

"My powers have doubled since we last met Skywalker."

"And I have grown stronger with the dark side."

"Then this should be interesting."

As rain started to pour down and sizzle on their lightsabers Vader and Chad just spent a few moments staring each other down, waiting for the other to strike. Vader made the first move; he hurled pieces of debris from the buildings Commander Mordred had destroyed at Chad. Chad sliced any piece that came at him in half. Vader used the opportunity to charge at Chad and attempted to slice him in half, Chad turned around, blocked the blow, and immediately followed through with a counterattack, Vader blocked it and tried a counterattack of his own. Chad had seen this coming, both he and Vader were master's of lightsaber combat form VI, and both of them integrated elements from other forms into their styles, the only difference was that Vader was big and powerful where Chad was fast and sly.

Chad called on the force to increase the ferocity of his attacks, his soaked white robes were like a blur as he slashed viciously at Vader. He seemed to be driving the Sith back, but then Chad realized that this was just a ruse to give Chad the idea that he was succeeding all the while tiring him out. Chad quickly changed his strategy and tired blasting Vader with the force, but Vader used his powerful mechanical legs to leap high into the air and dodge the attack and came down with a powerful slash that would have sliced Chad in half from the head down if he hadn't blocked it in time.

"I confess myself… disappointed Skywalker… My master used to tell me not to quarrel with you… he said you might be the chosen one… You didn't bring the force into balance, you tried to destroy it! You were supposed to destroy the Sith, not serve them! What would Padmé think if she saw you now? Yes… I know all about you and Padmé Amidala… How you sold her out for power and the empty promises of the Sith…"

Vader attacked more intensely as lighting raced across the night sky.

"Foolish Jedi… You could never understand! I was trying to save her!!!"

"But you didn't… and when you could've run away with her you didn't do that either and you lost her… because all you cared about was yourself."

Chad blocked another series of attacks from Vader.

"I didn't lose her… Obi-Wan stole her from me! He and the Jedi… stole everything… from me."

"You did that yourself… You had already lost everything the moment you believed Palpatine's lies… Obi-Wan only did what needed to be done."

Vader roared in anger and slashed at Chad causing sparks to fly from the nearby walls that it struck in the process. The glow of their lightsabers reflected in the soaked streets.

"WHERE IS HE?!"

"Even if I knew I wouldn't tell you… besides… What good would it do you? Killing Obi-Wan won't bring Padmé back… it won't undo what has happened to you… Killing Count Dooku didn't give you your arm back… And no amount of blood will bring back the one's you loved.

"Mother… Ahsoka… Padmé…" Vader could almost see their faces.

"Jedi don't seek revenge Skywalker… And revenge has been your whole life…The Jedi council was right… You were not worthy to be a student of the force!"

Chad blocked more of Vader's blows. He could see that the Sith lord was starting to lose it.

"You dare taunt me?!"

"All night long." replied Chad with a grin.

Fueled by his anger Vader viciously attacked Chad, but he blocked every one of his blows.

"Honestly, you call that an attack?"

Vader slashed at Chad's neck, but he jumped backward and away from it.

"Funny thing about anger… Let it control you… and you lose sight of everything."

With one more strike Vader knocked Chad's lightsaber out of his hands.

"Now I'm impressed."

Vader pointed his lightsaber at Chad's heart.

"Now you die." he said as lightening flashed.

As Vader lunged at him Chad used the Force Repulse to send him flying in the opposite direction. Chad used the force to call his lightsaber back to him and retreated. Vader scrambled to his feet and threw his lightsaber at Chad and used the force to spin it like a boomerang. Chad ducked just in the nick of time. Within moments the head of a nearby statue of Emperor Palpatine feel to the ground and shattered.

"You'd love to have done that for real… You thought after you got what you wanted from Palpatine you could have just stabbed him in the back and take control of the galaxy… But the dark side takes everything from you… Now you'll never be strong enough to destroy the Emperor… Now you're just his enforcer, his errand boy… his slave… forever…"

Vader continued to attack viciously at Chad.

"You will die like your master…"

"I'm not afraid to die Skywalker."

"Of course not… your thoughts betray you… you don't care about your own life… you care more about your precious Padawans and… wife… yes… you have a wife… and… a son… one whom has the potential to be an even greater Jedi then yourself… You've spent thirteen years hiding them from me… now you've failed… Your wife a Padawans may be useless to me… but your son will make a powerful ally in my ambitions against the Emperor…"

At that moment all the fear, all the anger, and all the hatred Chad had been holding back all night came loose.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Chad sprung at Vader and attacked. Earlier they dark lord gave only let it appear that Chad was driving him back, this time it was for real. Chad held nothing back, his attacks were so swift, so precise that Vader couldn't keep up. Chad aimed for the control panel on Vader's chest, then he aimed up high, then the unexpected happened. With one swift stroke Vader was disarmed, literally. As sparks flew from Vader's damaged arm Chad sliced his helmet off revealing the Sith lord's pale, scared, and deformed face. He then called on the force and sent Vader crashing into one building and then into the one across from it. He then jumped at him and blasted him with a huge ball of force energy that sent him flying.

Vader had been blown outside the city. Chad followed the trail into a graveyard where he found the Sith on the ground against one of the weathered graves. The person he saw didn't even look like Anakin Skywalker. It reminded Chad of something his master had once told him.

"All are tempted by the dark side. It promises you everything, but in truth the dark side takes everything from you."

As Chad looked into the pale ghost like eye of Darth Vader all he saw was anger and pain. If not for the things he knew the Sith lord had done he would have almost felt pity.

"Go ahead… do it… finish me…" without his helmet Vader's voice was little more then a whisper.

As Chad was about to slash the Dark Lord's throat with his lightsaber he heard something that sounded like a woman's voice.

"No… There is good in him… I know there is still good in him."

**(Guess who)**

Chad looked around and saw no one.

"There isn't." he told himself.

Just then Chad heard another voice, only this time it was a man's voice full of wisdom.

"No matter what he has become he cannot escape his destiny… He is the chosen one… He will bring balance to the force."

Once again Chad ignored the voice.

"The prophecy lied, all he has brought to the force is darkness, and he deserves to die for all the things he's done."

Just then Chad heard a voice that almost made him drop his lightsaber.

"If you strike him down in anger you will be no better then him."

Just then a ghostly image appeared in front of Chad. What he saw almost made his heart skip a beat.

"Ma… Master!?"

"He's beaten… Let it go."

"Master I… I can't just let him go free…"

"Do you really think he'll ever be free? Look inside his mind."

Chad look into Vader's eyes, deeper this time and with the force.

"Ani…"

"NO! MOM!"

"EEERRRAAGH!"

"Anakin… Anakin… NO!"

"Master!"

"AHSOKA!"

"Master! Help me!"

"AHSOKA! NO!!!"

"Ani… I'm pregnant."

"I won't let you die Padmé… I won't!"

"Kill the Jedi!"

"Master Skywalker, there are too many of them, what are we going to do?"

"I'll cut you in half traitor!"

"Anakin… You're breaking my heart."

"You were the chosen one!"

"I HATE YOU!!!"

"Lord Vader… Can you hear me?"

"Yes master… Where is Padmé? Is she safe? Is she alright?"

"It seems in your anger… you killed her."

"I… I couldn't have… She was alive! I felt it! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

The memories Chad had accessed sent a wave of emotion through the deformed face of Vader. Chad was surprised to see that there was anything left inside of him.

"But master… I can't just let him live."

"If you strike him down then Palpatine will learn that there is someone out there that is more powerful then Vader… He will hunt you down, kill your family, and make you his new apprentice."

For a moment Chad just stood there in the rain. Then he deactivated his lightsaber and tossed it away.

"No… You're broken Skywalker… Palpatine can keep the pieces."

"You… are… weak… Jedi…"

"No Skywalker… You're the weak one… And you'll never know love or happiness again… And I feel sorry for you…"

"I… will… find you…"

"No Skywalker… You won't… And if you ever come near my family again… Then I will kill you…"

With that Chad turned and walked away. Calling on the force Vader struggled to get up. He picked up Chad's lightsaber and started to go after him, then something caught his eye. Suddenly emotion ripped though his body like a sword of fire, he fell prostrate on the ground before one of the graves.

Here lies

Padmé Amidala

No one was around to see the dark lord of the Sith cry.


	11. Escape from Naboo

"How are Kita and Zar?" asked Gan.

"They're stabilized. I think they're going to make it."

"Any word from the master?" asked Cera.

Suddenly Gan's comlink went off.

"Gan… Gan, do you read me?"

"Master?!"

At that moment Kamilla ripped the comlink out Gan's hands.

"Chad! Oh thanks heavens, are you okay?"

"I'm fine honey, can I please speak to Gan?"

"What is it master?"

"Lock onto my position. Prepare operation skyhook."

"I've spotted the Jedi! He's hijacked one of our speeder bikes! Mount up! This one isn't getting away."

Chad sped across the wide open plains outside Theed on a stolen Imperial Speeder bike. Captain Lance rounded up the S-unit and sped after him.

"Stop! In the name of the Empire!"

"Not on the best day of your life." thought Chad.

Chad had a huge lead over Captain Lance and his men, but for some reason they weren't firing on him.

"They're herding me into a trap. Sorry boys but that Rancor won't roar."

Chad continued to go straight ahead of Lance and his men.

"He's close, get ready!"

Chad came flying into the forest, he was greeted by a hailstorm of blaster bolts and rockets.

"Concentrate… Feel the force flowing through you… Trust your instincts."

Chad dodged the sniper's shots and oncoming trees like they were in slow motion, and he used the force to redirect the rockets right back at the troopers that fired them.

"Jedi scum… Attention B-Squadron 6, this is Captain Lance, prepare for assault!"

Chad was getting closer to his destination, but suddenly he heard a violent screeching coming from overhead.

"Oh great, TIE Bombers."

The three oncoming TIE Bombers were moving side by side and were coming right at Chad. They began dropping a stream of Proton bombs as they got closer and closer. Calling on the force Chad caused the three bombers to crash into each other and steered away from the last falling proton bomb.

"Who is this guy?!" asked one of the troopers following Captain Lance.

"He's a blasted Jedi, that's who."

Captain Lance and his men began to open fire, but Chad dodged them like he had eyes in the back of his head. Unfortunately he came to cliff and had to jump off his speeder. Captain Lance and his men had him surrounded.

"Say goodbye."

Chad just smiled.

"What are you so happy about?!"

Suddenly a huge ship that looked like a modified imperial landing craft with teeth, bright blue eyes, a Mass driver cannon attached to each of it's thick reinforced wings, nine turrets spaced evenly around it's shielded hull, and three huge engines emerged out of the cliff.

"What the heck is that?!"

At that moment the Dragoon opened fire, blasting Captain Lance and his men into nothingness.

"Goodbye." said Chad as he jumped aboard.

As soon as Chad got inside the ship he was nearly choked to death by Kamilla.

"Oh thank the heavens! I thought I'd never see you again! Are you okay?"

"That depends. How are Kita and Zar?"

"They're stable… I think they're going to make it."

Chad smiled.

"Well if that's the case, then right now I feel like I could take on the whole Empire myself."

As Gan piloted the ship out of Naboo's atmosphere Chad went down to the med room. He knew that the nerve endings in Zar's severed arm were beyond repair, they would have to improvise. But Zar's injuries weren't mortal, not like Kita's, hers had required him to call on all the power of the living force within him to heal her and keep her from dying. He felt her cheek.

"Kita… Kita…"

Kita slowly opened her eyes.

"Muh… master?"

"It's okay Kita…"

Without warning Kita sat up and hugged her master, and then she started to cry.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry."

"Kita, it's alright… See? Not a scratch on me."

"I'm sorry… I've failed you master."

"No you didn't." he said patting her on the shoulder "You did great… You defeated the infamous Commander Mordred by yourself; you stood up to Darth Vader and lived... I'm proud of you Kita."

Kita smiled a little.

"How are the others?"

"Cera and Gan are fine but… Zar is… a little… short handed."

Kita looked at Zar's severed arm.

"Oh my gosh! What happened?!"

"Moments after you were slashed he stepped in and tried to save you. Vader sliced his arm clean off. But he's going to be okay."

"Zar… tried to save me?"

"Yes…"

Suddenly Chad's comlink went off.

"Master! We're coming up on the blockade!"

"I read you Gan, I'll be right there."

He switched the comlink off and returned to Kita.

"We're not out of the woods yet, but you better stay down here and rest."

"Master… If we don't make it…"

"We'll make it." he said smiling.

"It's… been an honor… being your Padawan."

"And I'm proud to have been your Master."

Chad went back up to the cockpit and took control of the main guns while Cera and Gan both manned one of the turrets as they came up on the blockade. There were four Star Destroyers and one Interdictor Cruiser.

"Gan are the coordinates set?"

"Yes master."

"Good, the moment we destroy the gravity well projectors on that Interdictor we need to punch it."

Chad piloted the ship towards the Interdictor, wasn't as big and wasn't anywhere near as heavily as a Star Destroyer, in fact since the ships gravity-well projectors were online the ships other systems wouldn't be as effective due to the drain on the power. The Dragoon was just about on top of it when suddenly Chad heard a loud hissing out in space.

"Master, TIE fighters incoming!"

"Take em out!"

"What about the Interdictor?"

"You worry about those fighters, I'll worry about the Interdictor!"

Cera, Gan, and all the unmanned turrets tried to shoot down the TIE fighters while Chad went to work on the Interdictor.

"Target locked… Ready… Fire!"

Two huge projectiles erupted out of the Dragoon's twin Mass Driver cannons and flew at the Interdictor. The heavy metal slugs easily bypassed the ships already weakened shield and destroyed one of the Interdictor's gravity-well projectors.

"Got one!"

"What about the others?" asked Kamilla holding their son in her arms.

"One thing at a time honey."

As Chad tried to set up for another attack run more TIE fighters came flying at the Dragoon. What TIE fighters lacked in armor and shields they made up with speed and maneuverability. Even with nine working auto/manual laser turrets the Dragoon was having a hard time hitting them.

"Master! We've been hit!"

"She'll hold together."

True the TIE fighters had the advantage in terms of speed, but the Dragoon was outfitted with a powerful deflector shield that allowed it to take a very heavy beating. And since the TIE fighters didn't have shields all they had to do was hit them once.

"I got one! I got one!" said Cera.

"Plenty more where that came from!" replied Gan.

Chad managed to take out more of the Gravity-well generators, but the enemy fighters kept coming, and to make matters worse…

"Master! Two of the Star Destroyers are coming right at us!"

"We need to finish this quick!"

The shields on the Dragoon were strong, but they did have their limits. As the Star Destroyer's approached Chad's son started happily waving his hands in the air, Kamilla thought he was playing.

"Not now honey."

Suddenly the Star Destroyers started shaking then without warning they crashed into each other.

"Well there is something you don't see every day." said Gan.

"I don't get it… What the heck happened?" asked Cera.

Chad remembered what Vader said about his son having the potential to be an even greater Jedi then he was.

"No… It can't be."

Chad returned his focus to the Interdictor; he fired two more shots from the mass driver cannons, destroying the last gravity-well projector.

"That's the last one, prepare to make the jump to hyperspace!"

"We've made it!" said Kamilla to her baby "We've made it!"

Chad hit the button and the Dragoon was off.

"That's it we did it!"

"Yeah! We got away!" exclaimed Cera.

"Take that Vader!"

Both Cera and Gan started dancing for joy and Chad hugged Kamilla and his son. Then Chad's comlink went off.

"Guys… I think Zar is starting to wake up." said Kita.

"Good news."

"Get down here quick, I've got an idea."

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHH!!!"

Zar awoke screaming at the top of his lungs, because the last thing he remembered before losing consciousness was getting his arm sliced off by Vader.

"Wha… What happened? Where am I? What's going on here?"

"It's okay Zar." said Gan "You just got a little too close a look at Vader. But the master saved you and brought you here."

Zar looked at the place where his arm used to be.

"Gone! It's really gone… Wait… where's Kita?"

"Well… She's… uh…"

Zar looked over and saw Kita lying on the bed on the opposite side of the room. Almost immediately he sprang up, ignoring the pain in his wounded leg, and jumped over to Kita's side.

"KITA! SPEAK TO ME!!!"

Kita opened her eyes and smiled.

"Why do you want to talk to me so badly? You got a crush on me or something?"

"Oh my gosh… I think he's blushing!" said Gan.

"I think he's actually turning red."

"Cera, his skin is always red."

"I mean more so then usual."


	12. A quick detour

"Lord Vader… two of our Star Destroyers were destroyed and the Interdictor's gravity-well projectors were knocked out…"

"I take it you at least destroyed the ship responsible…"

"They… uh…. They jumped into hyperspace… ACK!"

"You have failed me for the last time Admiral."

The Admiral's lifeless body fell to the floor.

"Captain…"

"Yes… my lord."

"Set course for Coruscant. You are in command now."

"Thank you… Lord Vader."

Vader left the command bridge without saying another word and went to his meditation chamber. Permanent repairs to his suit would have to wait until he got back to Coruscant. In the meantime he could think. Maybe Kantor was right, maybe Palpatine was the real cause of all his sufferings, maybe he was responsible for the deaths of everyone he loved, but in his state Vader was no match for the Emperor, he would never be able to stand against him by himself. He would have to wait until he found someone that could help him… an apprentice of his own… until then he would wait.

"Sir the more you struggle the more this is going to hurt."

The ship's medical droid was busy attaching Zar's new arm. It was a long and painful process but eventually the job was done.

"There you are, good as new." said Kita slipping a glove over Zar's new mechanical arm.

"Well it still feels different… Any idea where we're going?"

"Master said we're going to the Dagobah system."

"Dagobah? Never heard of it."

"Me neither, but he said we won't be staying there, he says it's just a quick detour."

The Dragoon landed in the murky swamps of the planet Dagobah.

"Gan, Cera, and Kamilla you come with me. Kita and Zar you stay here with the ship until I call you."

"Why did he take Kamilla with him?"

"Beats me."

"Kita… I… there's something I… something I want to tell you…"

"Yes Zar…"

"Well, after fighting Vader… you lasted longer then I did… you actually beat Commander Mordred and… I got my arm sliced off and… um… You were right and I was wrong, I'm sorry for everything and…"

Kita put a finger to his mouth.

"Will you just shut up and kiss me already?"

"I… I uh… well I…"

"I'll take that as a yes."

For the next few moments everything was perfect, just Kita and Zar caught in each others arms, only to be interrupted by the sound of their comlink's going off.

"Okay guys, we're ready."

Kita and Zar made their way through the dank swamp of Dagobah.

"Okay Zar, what's going on?"

"I don't know, I'm as clueless as you."

"Your thoughts betray you Zar, you know exactly what's going on."

"Well… The master thought what you did back on Naboo was impressive."

"Really…"

"Yes, and so have I."

"Wait a minute… I recognize that voice… Master Yoda!"

There was Master Yoda standing on a nearby tree stump.

"Told me Chad has about your deeds on Naboo, trained you and the others well he has, Earned the rank of Jedi Master he has. And for you a reward in order for you I believe there is."

Chad, Zar, Cera, and Gan all ignited their lightsabers.

"Step forward Padawan."

Kita knelt before Master Yoda.

"Kita Kataru, by the will of the force, dub thee I do, Jedi."

Kita's Padawan braids were cut off.

"Knight of the Galaxy. Take up your lightsaber, Kita Kataru, Jedi Knight. And may the force be with you."

**The End**


End file.
